Like many dogs, Mae likes a good couch, long walks and a scoop or two of her food. But unlike others, the 6-year-old yellow Lab can be called away from her warm futon to help fire investigators search charred debris for flammable liquids, helping to determine whether arson might be the cause of a blaze. Mae is one of a half-dozen “accelerant” detection dogs in the state of Maryland called out to fire scenes as far away as Cumberland or the nation’s capital — sometimes as additional alarms are called for a structure fire and sometimes weeks after the debris has been soaked in heavy rain.
“At home she’s a regular dog,” said Lt. Dean Mulvihill, her handler and a fire investigator with the Howard County Fire Department. Although she is specially trained, she still disobeys occasionally, attempting to sneak people-food at home. But her “headstrong” personality makes her good at the job, Mulvihill said. Together, the two report to about 50 fires to 60 fires a year in various jurisdictions. Each fire department differs on when they use a dog, but they typically call for Mae when there is a fatality, a large amount of damage or some reason to suspect arson.
Once at a scene, Mae and Mulvihill pore over the rubble. If she smells a petroleum-based accelerant, she reacts excitedly. Mulvihill will then collect a sample of the debris to be tested. Depending on where inside a dwelling an accelerant is found or how many different places it is found, those fires could be ruled arsons. But not all of her discoveries reveal criminal activity; Mae has come across a home where somebody was working on a motorcycle in the living room, and others where people store gasoline in their basements.
“They are extremely effective,” said Deputy State Fire Marshal Bruce D. Bouch said of the dogs. “Their nose can be better than mechanical means. They are very good on the scene. There are very few [instances] when they are not effective.” Mae and Mulvihill have helped get arson convictions around the state, including in one of the highest-profile arson cases in Howard County, according to one police detective who worked on the case.
http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2010-12-26/news/bs-md-ho-arson-dog-20101226_1_arson-fire-scenes-fire-officials
Very cool. Dogs have more skills than I ever imagined. There is no limit to what they can do. Thanks for this interesting post.
What a cool job Mae. My nose is to flat to have such a good sniffer.
Benny & Lily